Sunita bids adieu to ISS, says doesn't want to leave space

HOUSTON: As she packs up her small luggage and special memorabilia for a return journey back to Earth, Nasa astronaut Sunita Williams is reluctant to bid adieu to her eventful second sojourn to space which she describes as a "really cool" place which nobody would like to leave.

The home-bound trio of astronauts - Williams, flight engineers Aki Hoshide and Yuri Malenchenko, will undock at 0356 IST on Monday and land in Kazakhstan at 0723 IST. However, Sunita, who says she loved her stay in space, still appears in denial.

According to Sunita, space is "just really cool" and finds it amazing how astronauts quickly adapt to it. "Not to mention the view... why would anyone want to leave?" she said. She is busy packing up her personal things which she took up with her, including a yo yo, a crew notebook with pictures, speciality t-shirts and a family photo album.

Despite a long stay, the luggage carried by the astronauts is very small - only 1.5 kg in the Soyuz. "We don't pack our clothes, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, etc That stuff is all here when we arrive. Even our special shirts and cargo pants are waiting here for us. Sunita who has worn one pair of pants and one pair of shorts in the entire trip, says you don't get "dirty" up here. pti